There was a 33% increase in funding for the organic farming scheme to nearly €16m in Budget 2021. \ Odhran Ducie
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Increasing the funding to the Organic Farm Scheme is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done in the development of new markets, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) organics chair Fergal Byrne has said.
There was a 33% increase in funding for the organic farming scheme to nearly €16m in Budget 2021, hoped to support an additional 400 to 500 farmers to join the sector.
Byrne said: “A drive to secure adequate markets for organic produce must also be done in tandem with the widening of the scheme. We already struggle to find markets for our organic beef and lamb.
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“EU Farm to Fork strategy contains an EU wide target of 25% to be set aside for organic farming by 2030. This is an ambitious target and one that makes it clear we need to do much more.”
The ICSA has also called for farmers from all sectors to be given the opportunity to move to organic farming and the necessary support to do so.
New system
IFA organic project team chair Nigel Renaghan has warned that mistakes from the past must be learned from before reopening the scheme.
Renaghan said: “When the scheme last reopened there was a 75% rejection rate of applicants because of a flawed points-based system in which smaller land-based applicants were discriminated against.
“It was flawed and led farmers up the garden path. The reopening of the scheme must be well thought out and we cannot have a situation where farmers are rejected in such a manner again.”
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Increasing the funding to the Organic Farm Scheme is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done in the development of new markets, Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) organics chair Fergal Byrne has said.
There was a 33% increase in funding for the organic farming scheme to nearly €16m in Budget 2021, hoped to support an additional 400 to 500 farmers to join the sector.
Byrne said: “A drive to secure adequate markets for organic produce must also be done in tandem with the widening of the scheme. We already struggle to find markets for our organic beef and lamb.
“EU Farm to Fork strategy contains an EU wide target of 25% to be set aside for organic farming by 2030. This is an ambitious target and one that makes it clear we need to do much more.”
The ICSA has also called for farmers from all sectors to be given the opportunity to move to organic farming and the necessary support to do so.
New system
IFA organic project team chair Nigel Renaghan has warned that mistakes from the past must be learned from before reopening the scheme.
Renaghan said: “When the scheme last reopened there was a 75% rejection rate of applicants because of a flawed points-based system in which smaller land-based applicants were discriminated against.
“It was flawed and led farmers up the garden path. The reopening of the scheme must be well thought out and we cannot have a situation where farmers are rejected in such a manner again.”
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